(Long Island, NY) NYAGV released the following statement following last night’s shooting at a movie theater in Lafayette, LA.
We are saddened by yet another shooting in a public place where people should feel safe. Two women are dead and others are critically injured. Three years ago this week, also on a Thursday, another man opened fire at a movie theater in Aurora, CO, killing 12 and injuring 70 others. These frequent atrocities give us the “distinction” of being the only developed nation that tolerates gun violence on this scale and with this frequency. The US has 30 percent of the population of all comparable OECD nations yet it has 90 percent of the gun homicides.
Louisiana, where yesterday’s shooting occurred, has some of the nation’s weakest gun laws and the highest rate of gun deaths. We were not surprised that this happened in Louisiana since we know that the ten states with the weakest gun safety laws have a gun violence rate that is more than two times that of states like New York with strong gun laws. Yesterday’s shooter was even denied a concealed carry weapons permit in 2006 because of a domestic violence incident and had been previously arrested for arson in Georgia. His ability to buy a gun and use it to murder innocent people watching a movie is a sad commentary on the completely inadequate gun laws in Louisiana and nationally.
Governor Jindal needs to do more than pray. He needs to enact strong gun safety laws and he needs to do it now.
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is a statewide advocacy group working to reduce gun violence through advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, the organization also advocates at the local and national levels for sensible gun laws, policies and practices that protect New York State residents from gun violence.
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